The Most Difficult Game Ever Made Gets a Sequel, I Wanna Be the Guy: Gaiden Available for Free

While some might describe I Wanna Be the Guy as a challenging game, I believe the term sadistic is much more accurate. IWBTG is a 2D platformer that was released independently in 2008 and quickly became famous for its obscene difficulty and for using elements from other classic titles. The indie game parodies multiple Nintendo Entertainment System titles, including Tetris, Ghosts ’n Goblins, The Legend of Zelda, Castlevania, Mega Man, Metroid, Mario Paint and so on. But don’t let the charming references to 8-bit games fool you, because I Wanna Be the Guy is designed so you can die over and over and over.

Apparently, some people like being punished (your mother must have warned you about those kinds of people,) because a sequel, called I Wanna Be the Guy: Gaiden, has been released. Gaiden is the first part of an episodic series that adds new features, such as gamepad support, configurable controls, time trial leaderboards and trophies, as well as new ways of dying. The Windows-only release is expected to receive more content and episodes soon. In the meantime, the sequel can be downloaded for free on GameJolt. On the other hand, those looking forward to going back to the series’ roots can get the original I Wanna Be the Guy on its official website.

If you’d like to know what the fuss is about before actually downloading the games, you can check a complete playthrough of Gaiden in the videos below: